Wilmington City Councilman charged with DWI

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A member of Wilmington City Council has been charged with Driving While Impaired in Brunswick County.

According to Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office arrest records, Charlie Rivenbark was arrested Wednesday around 1:45 a.m. in Leland.

His blood alcohol level was 0.11. The legal limit is.08.

According to the arrest warrant, the defendant ‘unlawfully and willfully did drive on right side of highway’ and ‘fail to maintain lane control.’

His bond was issued as a written promise to appear, when means a defendant simply signs their name and agrees to return to court on their assigned date.

When we reached out to Rivenbark for comment, he said a press release would be released and had no further comments.

The press release from Rivenbark states, “Late on the night of May 10, I received a call from my son, who was experiencing an adverse medical event. At the time I was on a trip with colleagues in Myrtle Beach. My son is a quadriplegic, and his health and wellbeing are my top priority. Later that evening I made the decision to leave Myrtle Beach and come home to be with him and to help his mother. I did not think that I was impaired. In hindsight, it was not the right decision, but it was the one I made based on the knowledge that he was in pain. I accept responsibility for my actions, and I am truly sorry for this situation I have created.”